The Doha Outcomes Part III – The ADP and CBDRRC

Briefing paper

All reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this information at the time the advice was produced (please refer to the date produced below). However, the materials have been prepared for informational purposes only and may have been superseded by more recent developments. They do not constitute formal legal advice or create a lawyer-client relationship. You should seek legal advice to take account of your own interests. To the extent permitted any liability is excluded. Those consulting the database may wish to contact LRI for clarifications and an updated analysis.

Date produced: 25/04/2013

In Doha, the Parties noted (and endorsed) various procedural matters previously agreed by the ADP in Bonn in May 2012 and adopted the ADP’s Conclusions and the ADP Decision. In particular, the conference of the parties (COP) endorsed the multi-­‐year chairing arrangements agreed in May 2012, noted the agenda as adopted by the ADP in May 2012 (initiating two workstreams within the ADP (one on the 2015 agreement (Workstream 1) and one on pre-­‐2020 ambition (Workstream 2)) noted the ADP Conclusions which invited Parties and observer organisations to make submissions in respect of both workstreams and set out limited milestones in respect of the work of the ADP: consideration of elements for a draft negotiating text by December 2014; and releasing the draft negotiating text by May 2015.

While discussions in the ADP have been relatively without conflict so far, the negotiations on each of the four items set out above highlighted the highly political nature of these negotiations (particularly with respect to the selection of the ADP’s chair, with each regional group wanting to ensure that the eventual arrangement would not prejudice its interests).

However, the core unresolved issue in the climate regime, the application of CBDRRC and equity in the future climate regime, manifested itself in the negotiation and adoption of the ADP’s agenda, the ADP Conclusions and the ADP Decision. Resolution of this issue is required sooner rather than later if Parties are to adopt a “protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force” by the end of 2015.